The OďŹƒcial Magazine of
Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Spring 2017
8
Patients in peril tell their tales
Lapstock Rocks! Music at the Mill
Microbrewers do it better We visit Black Tor Brewery
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Welcome el na olt ie e tive
Welcome to our spring issue of Helipad in a year that marks our e ecial h anni e a ea of a ing li e in e on an neigh o ing co n e The e on i lance went into service on 27th August 1992 and, since then, o e a en ha e een a en e Tha a lo of fa ilie friends and colleagues who have
Celebrating the best in Devon
45,000 copies covering the whole county 35,000+ delivered direct to our supporters Also available online at www.daat.org Contributors David FitzGerald Debbie Gregory Neil Devons Sarah Chesters Richard Hunt Photographers Neil Devons Debbie Gregory Rob Mackie ngle a a i e Ruth Davies o i ha h i na on
ho og a he Mike Sleigh Christopher Whitehouse a hilli Neil Hepworth
Publisher Heléna Holt h.holt@daat.org 01392 466666 Editor Debbie Gregory e d.gregory@daat.org dvertising ales 01392 466666 dvertise ent o y copy@daat.org Design rint anage ent il e o e li hing Distrib tion il e o e
been helped! e e co e a long a ince he T a e f o one lea e helico e ing onl e a a ee i ho a a o o o ne helico e an o e a ng f o a o i nigh e e a of he ee Thi i an a azing e a en o he fan a c o e ha e always received from the people and friends of Devon. O og e ion o nigh ing a a long hel ea no i a o en nece i i h nea l a en al ea a en e ing he evenings. As more community landing sites become ‘live’, this number ill ea il g o ea o e a o i on age inall a ief o of ca on e O OT o i h an one oo noc ing a ing fo o f o a e a e fo one o eone o ng o o i h e on i lance O OT han o e an one o gi e an of o an e ail lea e call an le he olice no ha o ha e een approached.
Debbie regory eli ad ditor
ailing li hing
in Online e t ss e
ne
is published by Devon Air Ambulance Trust ni an i e o Harrington Lane ee 01392 466666 E info@daat.org egi e e ha i o egi e e o an o
facebook.com/devonairambulancetrust @DevonAirAmb © All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form without prior permission of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, Devon Air Ambulance Trust will not accept liability for loss o a age e e o ha een a en o en e he acc ac of o con en he li he canno e hel e on i le fo an o i ion e o o al e a on o for the consequences of any reliance on these details; neither can they vouch for the acc ac of clai a e an a e e The ie e e e in hi agazine a e no necessarily those of the publishers.
www.daat.org
er
Hi! My thanks as always to everyone who has contributed to hi i e of eli a o a en who have allowed us to share their stories to fundraisers who con n e o a o n i h hei ac i e an e onal challenge Whilst, sadly, we don’t have space o en on e e one in i i all your support is invaluable and very much appreciated. ong o a en o ie o can ea ho a ee ingl n e a a le fall f o hi coo e le ea ol a i h a life h ea ening in an ho i on e e e i le n hen a family barbecue ended in disaster. We take a ride on the stunning Tamar Valley Railway and we take a oll a o n o e of he le ell no n a of aign on e al o share the passion and enthusiasm for a local ale with the brewer from Black Tor. Our thanks, of course, also go to regular contributors, RHS Rosemoor’s Sarah Chesters, Chef Richard Hunt and BBC presenter David FitzGerald. Happy reading
Helipad
The Official e on i
lance T
Magazine
3
In this issue...
41
Fundraisers Extraordinaire
On The Cover Issue No.15 Spring 2017 Calstock Viaduct ©www.kitevision.co.uk Next Issue: 30th June 2017
26
44
Tamar Valley
7
Star Prizes
23
Meet the winners of our Star Prizes…
10 Mee
A Very Lucky Escape ea ol h ea ening in
a ho a le i h a life a e falling f o hi coo e
an nee ing
o ai li
on he a e a
ih
le
19
ih
ch
n
ol nteering
o e han he e ec e
elo ation or Barnsta le
e il an hei ho
o
onna loo fo a o e ci ng e ahea a o e o ne an igge e i e
for New Beginnings 20 AaTime ah he e f o o e oo
ing an ne i ea fo he ga en
4
Helipad
t ere s
ho o ea o hen o e in o ce a n an ni a
ore to it t an
king
separates Devon from Cornwall? 26 What The stunning Tamar Valley runs between the two
18 Bob Wood volunteered for Devon Air Ambulance and e Bene ts o
r e e tionists
o e al ea a een angle o an in e e e eginne e a e a loo a one of i ain o o la a e
To e e a he e a en on o e ail
Lasting Consequences 16 Long fa il a ec e lea e i on iffin
eet
a e o e e on e e ele hone o ece on
24 Fisheing he
but Perfectly Formed 14 Small eli a ee ona hon f o lac a oo ic o e e a e all he i e ence
Devon People
ha e he lo e of
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
co n e i h he iconic Ta a most memorable journey
alle
Around Paignton 30 AaPootle ain o Mac ie a e on a o n an ha e o e of he le this seaside town
ail a o e ing a
oll a o n hi ho e ell no n ge of
Cloud… 32 Every Karen Bryant and her husband Bob were involved in a road affic colli ion en ing
World 33 Wayne’s e in o ce one of o
on i e
i e ho i al olle
o e can a e Edwards – coming to an outlet near you
a ne www.daat.org
Contents
xx
10
A Very Lucky Escape
36
Whatever next?
14
all b t er e tly For ed People 44 Devon e co l ll o agazine
a motorcyclist… 35 Once n each of e i on e lain
i h han o he fan a c people of Devon who fundraise for the service and we are o g a ef l o e e one e e e ee a fe
ha e en a e a na o o i e c a h ha le hi i h e io in ie he was keen to ‘get back on the bike’
Crew next? 47 Junior 36 Whatever Richard Hunt shares his thoughts about food shortages an f o To ne
o le f o hi coo e an li le llio f o he i ho ne i ac lo l i e a fall from his bedroom window while Shannon raises funds
and seasonal treats.
38
Lapstock – a family fundraiser for DAA
The M ic a he Mill e al in a fo o he i e no n a a oc lan ano he g ea ee en in
39 Farmer Martyn Bucknell explains how a moment of Distra tion a ses
ad bike atastro
i ac on le hi in ho i al fo for nearly 12 months
40
eart atta k brings ba k
ee
an o
e ories or
hen a i ea e e e a hea a ac i ac e i le e o ie fo hi ean
e
o
l
on ig t Flying 48 Asnmoredate Community Landing Sites go ‘live’ Toby
Russell thanks all those already on board and explains how to start the ball rolling in your town or village
Chat 50 Back DAA Patron David FitzGerald shares his love of
wildlife – but asks why he has to feed them all!
We Love To Talk!
o gh
Extraordinaire 41 Fundraisers ea ho e e e ea e ol
on go hi o o a great start for 2017 and we meet the shanty singers from North Devon entertaining holiday makers and residents alike
e e ac e on an ocial ne o an e ia channels so you can keep up with everything we’re doing between issues. Follow us on Fa ebook and nstagra oin he itter con e a on an a ch our o be l
on Board 42 Business a fe of he ine
e an co anie ho demonstrate their support of DAA in a variety of ways
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Devon_Life_Half_Page _Adaptions_Layout 1 10/10/2016 12:13 Page 1
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The Official e on i
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Star Prize Winners
Ways To Help
We ave anot er t ree tar ri e inners t is iss e it t ree di erent stories
Farmer Lionel Bond from near Dartmouth fell ro is tra tor last year en e s ered a edi al olla se e as airli ed to os ital and t ank lly ade a good re overy s air an o Dart o t Fatsto k Lionel as raised nds or Devon ir b lan e or any years and e e ressed is t anks to t e ir b lan e and ot ers o el ed in is o r o need by la ing t e ollo ing essage in is lo al ne s a er
We t ank s orter ar orie W i ngton ro eign o t o along it sending in very genero s donations as ritten t is great oe or s
Air A m b ul a nce 2017 Th ey fly th rou gh th e air W ith pre cis ion a nd skill Th ese he lico pte r pilots Ha ve a mi ssi on to fulfill Th ey cou ld sho rtly be ca lled out On th e la nd or on th e sea th e m W he rever th e ta sk await s n be Th ey are out as soo n as ca er It ma y be a da rin g roc k cli mb ch rea Or a su rfe r ad rift out of nt But sa vin g of life is im po rtath e be ach So on th e victim is ba ck on me n It ta ke s a very bra ve tea m ofea d ah ers Un aware of th e da ng ow led ge Ju st us ing th eir skill a nd knid… W hat mo re is th ere to be sa
“A ve ry big Th a nk Y ou”
Lionel ill re eive a bottle o a k Daniels iskey kindly donated to Devon ir b lan e at rist as
a a ve . ei eats e r tr ill sty ie ta or of r a
er
Get in touch! ha e o o ie i h on Fa ebook an nstagra oin he itter con e a on an o o be l
Finally e are grate l to a ard inning artist and ill strator La ra Wall or donating t o o er books to o r nal inner ne year old ylo as airli ed last tober ollo ing a ar a ident in i e as o n to Bristol ildren s os ital and is arlotte as o n to Derri ord Both are now home and well on the road to full re overy arlotte rote to t ank s and er story an be o nd on o r ebsite We o e ylo loves is t o ne oose books ro La ra
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Please fill out all boxes in the form with a ball-point pen and send it to:
Devon Air Ambulance Trust, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS
Instruction to your bank or building society Please pay PSL re Devon Air Ambulance Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with PSL re Devon Air Ambulance and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society.
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We are o en asked si ilar estions en e eet o r s orters so e t o g t yo ig t like to see so e statisti s ro t at ig t also ans er so e o t ose estions
Bank/Building Society account number Branch sort code
n average t e b siest day o t e eek as a nday and t e b siest ti e o day as bet een and
t e atients e attended ere aged or nder and ere e ale it ale
Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society To: The Manager of
Bank/Building Society
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Date
We attended road tra ollisions o i involved otor y les l s a rt er oto ross riders and orse riders
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Please now complete your details below Name
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Please notify the charity if you: • Want to cancel the declaration • Change your name or home address • No longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains
I confirm I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax in the current tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations it is my responsibility to pay any difference. The Direct Debit Guarantee Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits. • If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit PSL re Devon Air Ambulance will notify you five (5) working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request PSL re Devon Air Ambulance to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request. • If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by PSL re Devon Air Ambulance or your bank or building Society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society - If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when PSL re Devon Air Ambulance asks you to • You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building Society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us. • This
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The Official e on i
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A very lucky escape... hristmas was very di erent or one Exwick family this year, but with a very happy ending.
W
ith all the excitement of being on school holiday and Father Christmas due in just a few days, 8-year old Harry Tansley from Exwick was happy to be out scooting and skating along Exmouth seafront with his dad, his older brother Ben and their friend, Will. They were having a lovely time until, for no known reason, Harry lost his balance on his scooter and fell – with the handlebar of his scooter catching Harry’s throat as he toppled. The effect was immediate; Harry had a tear in his windpipe causing air to form under his skin with every breath he took. First responders were quickly on scene and administered an IV drip but called for backup from Devon Air Ambulance who sent an emergency car with two aircrew paramedics and the helicopter with two further paramedics and a doctor on board. Despite Harry’s face, chest and stomach swelling rapidly, he and his dad remained calm and Harry was able to answer questions coherently. Paramedic John Shaddick explained,
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Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
“When we arrived, Harry looked like an 8-year old body builder, he was swollen from his head to his groin. But he and his dad were both amazingly calm – Harry really was a ‘perfect patient’, particularly considering what was happening.” Treating Harry in the back of the land ambulance, Dr Reed administered an anaesthetic and a tube was inserted to stop Harry’s throat swelling shut and to keep him breathing. John Shaddick continued, “The teamwork of everyone working together was brilliant. Everyone, land crew, rapid response crew and aircrew, all knew what needed to be done, both inside and outside the ambulance. While Harry was being looked after, paramedic Nick Ratcliff advised Harry’s dad and brother what was happening and spoke to Harry’s mum, who was at work in Torquay, on the phone. Harry was flown in the air ambulance to Bristol Children’s Hospital (BCI) and his care was taken over by specialist
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a en
o
When we arrived, Harry looked like an 8-year old body builder, he was swollen from his head to his groin. But he and his dad were both amazingly calm – Harry really was a ‘perfect patient’. children’s doctors. His dad went in the aircraft too and was impressed by the speed with which they got there, “It would have taken so much longer by road. I was so grateful that Harry was in such good hands en route and that we got from Exmouth to Bristol in just 30 minutes!” As Harry was gradually woken up from his induced coma on Christmas Eve, the medical team and his family at his bedside were relieved to realise that his windpipe had ‘healed itself ’ and there was no longer the need for surgery. Christmas Day was made all the better with a visit from Santa Claus in the morning and, amazingly, a discharge from
aa o g
hospital in the afternoon. Back home in Exwick the remaining Christmas holidays remained fairly calm as Harry recovered from his ordeal. His mum, Justine, called to say thank you, “We are just so grateful to everyone who helped Harry on 20th December. Without the skills of all the paramedics and Dr Reed and the helicopter getting him to Bristol so quickly, things could have been so different. My husband and I have decided that we are going to run a half marathon this year to raise funds for DAA, so that the service remains available to help others when they need it. We can’t thank you all enough.” o
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Haldon
Forest Punark
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No family trip to the picturesque towns of Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon would be complete without a ride on t e a o s ni lar li li t s t e best and ost e iting ay to travel bet een these two historic towns and will be one of the ig lig ts o t e day or s Dads and all t e a ily n oy st nning vie s o oor and t e ort Devon oastline as yo glide and do n t e oot lengt o tra k ro Lyn o t nestling at t e oot o t e li s to Lynton er ed eet above
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The OďŹƒcial e on i
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13
Small but perfectly formed Helipad visits a Dartmoor microbrewery where attention to detail ma es all the di eren e
I
t’s a rare pleasure to meet someone whose love for the job they do is unmistakable and who will talk about it with undisguised passion. Brewer and Devon Air Ambulance supporter Jonathon Crump is one of those people. To hear him enthuse about his range of beers, the quality of the ingredients he uses and the care and planning that goes into each brew is infectious. He uses the esoteric vocabulary of the brewing trade (sparging, wort, dry hopping etc) and conveys such a profound knowledge of the brewing process that you’d think he has been in the business all his life. Not so. Jonathon only acquired Black Tor Brewery at Christow on the edge of Dartmoor in 2015 after a successful but ultimately unfulfilling career in finance. He looked to the South West where his parents live seeking out a suitable business to buy when Black Tor came onto his radar. It was a marriage made in heaven. He had found his métier and set about his new life with an insatiable thirst for learning the trade and improving on what he found. Today Black Tor is a family run business (Jonathon’s mother Viv is a co-director) that each week produces some 10,000 pints of handcrafted beers widely acknowledged for their quality, consistency and unique flavours. The Black Tor process uses only the finest ingredients and uses no brewing aids or unnecessary additives. The core range of beers are all different in taste, colour and strength and include: session beer Pride of Dartmoor (4%), Raven, a chestnut brown beer that won a bronze at the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) South West beer competition (4.2%), the golden coloured and hoppy Devonshire Pale Ale (4.5%) and the malty premium classic Tor Ale (4.8%). Black Tor supplies its cask beers to pubs across the region and the recent appointment of wholesalers Tolchards has increased the brewery’s footprint
14
Helipad
Black Tor supplies its cask beers to pubs across the region and the recent appointment of wholesalers Tolchards has increased the brewery’s footprint to cover as far as Gloucestershire and London.
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
to cover as far as Gloucestershire and London. There is also a popular range of bottled beers which are retailed in hotels, restaurants and farm shops and Jonathon regularly brews limited edition ales for events or special occasions such as his Christmas beer, Advent, where each cask gets a half litre of port to add to the festive flavour. Every penny made is reinvested. A shiny new fermenter is now operational alongside three other well-used models but there are plans to double capacity within a year following the acquisition of the adjoining unit at Gidley Meadows industrial estate. Jonathon works unbelievably long hours in the pursuit of ensuring that the quality of the final product is always first class. In addition to competitive pricing and supporting pubs with quality point of sale material such as branded glasses, beer mats and pump clips, he believes that attention to detail and never compromising the high standards he has established for the business, sets Black Tor apart. He personally brews and samples each batch and places huge importance on the quality of the ingredients used so that every pint produced is as good as, if not better, than the last one. The craft beer industry has boomed in recent years and is now very competitive. With limited funds for marketing, Jonathon is convinced that first impressions count so his drayman is always immaculately dressed and the delivery vans are always washed and waxed before every outing. Jonathon also personally visits prospective customers and his congenial manner coupled with unlimited enthusiasm and a product that is enjoying a growing reputation for quality and consistency will convince discerning landlords to try Black Tor as a guest ale. Devon Air Ambulance also benefits from these visits as Jonathon will often take copies of Helipad to leave for the pubs’ customers and this is helping the charity to further extend its community reach. o www.daat.org
Devon Food
wed specially bre Black Tor’s
Down Draft
ce will be ir Ambulan ottles A n o v e D ale for or in b om the cask ies available fr st ho elr at pubs and er this summ
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Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
15
Family barbecue ends in disaster The summer of 2016 was great for long, warm days and balmy evenings – just right for families and friends to gather for barbecues.
S
u h was the o asion or imon ri n and his amily when they were planning an afternoon get together at his mum’s house in Paignton on August Bank Holiday weekend. Simon and his brother had gone on ahead of their families to ‘get the barbecue going’. Struggling to get a good flame and in order to speed things up, Simon added methylated spirits. Not realising this, however, his brother then added some more – with the result of a flame that flared from the barbecue back up to the bottle, catapulting the bottle from his hand and singeing his arm. The flame, however, also caught Simon’s t-shirt, which immediately caught alight. Feeling a sensation as if a jet of water had been sprayed on him, Simon rolled on the grass to put out the flame. As he stood up though, the flames reignited – to make matters worse, ‘meths’ is an invisible flame. His sister-in-law phoned 999 as family members tried to help. Devon’s Air Ambulance crew of paramedics Nick Ratcliffe and Richard Walker, with pilot Howard Roe were swiftly on scene. Simon had suffered 30% burns to his stomach, chest, both arms and his face; by good fortune his sunglasses had protected his
eyes. The aircrew checked that Simon was well enough to fly and conveyed him to Derriford for urgent treatment. Later the same day and once stabilised at Derriford, a second Air Ambulance aircrew was called to transfer Simon from Derriford to the specialist burns centre at Morriston in Swansea. Paramedics Chris Saunders and Mark Langley attended with pilot Dan Smith. Some of the burns were superficial (although still extremely painful as all the nerve endings were exposed); others were far deeper and 10 days after admittance to Morriston, Simon had three skin grafts under general anaesthetic with skin from his knee to his thigh being grafted to his right forearm and under both arms. Simon was a model patient and surprised all who were looking after him by leaving hospital just three weeks later. When he asked a nurse what made him different she explained, “You had great initial treatment, you have eaten well to keep up your strength and you’ve had a great positive mental attitude – all these things are helping you to heal.” Speaking to Helipad’s editor and Patient Liaison for Devon
imon had su ered urns to his stomach, chest, both arms and his face; by good fortune his sunglasses had protected his eyes
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a en
Air Ambulance, Debbie Gregory, in early November, Simon said “I’m getting there now. I’m still taking pain relief, applying special cream and wearing the pressure sleeves on both arms – my arms were worse as they took the full force of the flame. I had a great incentive to get better; for my son Ben’s wedding to Livvy at the end of October, and my wife Kirsti and I were so grateful to get there. I’ll be off work for a little while longer but I should be back in the
“You had great initial treatment, you have eaten well to keep up your strength and you’ve had a great positive mental attitude – all these things are helping you to heal.” aa o g
i on en o e o Mo i on
o
New Year. I am just so thankful to everyone who helped me, from the land crew who first arrived at mum’s, to both the Air Ambulance crews who took me to Derriford and then to Swansea and to all at the specialist burns unit in Morriston – they were absolutely brilliant. I also can’t thank my family and friends enough for all their love and support since the accident. My son, Sam, came all the way from London to visit me – I was so grateful.” o
an ea
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The Official e on i
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Volunteering boosts self-esteem and sel on den e
Volunteering
After suffering an industrial injury in 1999 that left him with a severe back problem, life for Bob looked pretty bleak. Bob Wood was living in Manchester at the time and had just completed a five-year apprenticeship as an engineer. But the accident caused tendon, nerve and ligament damage, along with three popped discs in his spine, leaving Bob unable to continue in his job and out of work for eight long years. In 2002, Bob was registered as disabled and later that year, during a respite break in Devon, Bob decided to relocate and in 2003 he and his family moved to Dawlish. Despite chronic pain and medication that caused depression, he was determined to find work. In 2006 Bob qualified for a Motability car through the Disability Living Allowance and, with a new found sense of freedom and independence, things started to look up. After eight years of unemployment and having applied for 186 jobs in a 3-year period (with only ONE reply!) Bob finally secured himself a job as a Facilities Support Officer at a charity in Exeter. Redundancy in 2015 left Bob wondering what his next opportunity would be. Still disabled and in almost constant pain, he felt his options were limited. However, through Pluss, a social enterprise that supports people with disability into employment, Bob was introduced to Devon Air Ambulance and was offered a placement as a driver and assistant to help the retail team.
Bob explains, “It was a 6-month volunteer placement, working with Frank, moving donated stock between their warehouse and all of the DAA shops around the county. It was an unbelievable experience – such a positive environment and such a great team. The care and support offered to me was amazing and although I always give 100%, I got more than 100% back every day!” When the 6-month placement was up, Bob was motivated to apply for a job with Stagecoach and, after passing his license with just six hours of training he is now a full time bus driver, learning the routes of Exeter with his mentor and instructor. It’s a job he just couldn’t have imagined this time last year. “My volunteer placement at Devon Air Ambulance was so positive; it really boosted my selfconfidence and self-esteem – I realised that I’ve still got a lot to offer. I will always be grateful and can highly recommend volunteering – you never know where it might lead.” Frank Whitham, Logistics Officer for DAAT was grateful for Bob’s help, “I am so pleased that Bob has secured himself permanent employment; if anyone deserves a chance it’s Bob. He came to us on a 6-month job placement from Pluss for 2 days a week. We hit it off straight away, his attitude to work was great and we quickly became a great team. “With support from myself, Heidi and Nigel from Pluss, Bob gained confidence in every way and progressed really well. Bob also went out of his way to volunteer at fundraising events throughout his time with DAAT and he became a popular face throughout the organisation. I was sorry to see him go but I’m sure he will be a great asset to his new employers. And I’m really chuffed that he still wants to support DAAT as a volunteer when he gets the chance!”
Could You Be A Volunteer? We always need volunteers to help in our shops. It is a nice way to give up some time to the community and meet people in a friendly atmosphere, helping us raise money to keep our helicopters flying and save lives. Come and join our family of 475 volunteers! 18
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“There’s no such thing as an average day…” As our Barnstaple shop team looks forward to a brand new location with increased storage and up-to-date facilities, Helipad’s Editor, Debbie Gregory caught up with manager Averil Kingdon. Averil joined Devon Air Ambulance when the current Barnstaple shop opened its doors in July 2005 and has been managing donations, displays, volunteers and customers ever since. When asked ‘What needs doing each day, week or month?’ the answer was ‘everything, every day’. From answering a multitude of enquiries on the telephone to serving at the till, sorting and pricing donations, steaming clothing, cleaning bric-a-brac, doing the windows or shelves and catching up with paperwork, there’s clearly never a dull moment in our shops! When goods are donated they are sorted straightaway as there is currently nowhere for long-term storage. Everything is checked for saleability, steam-cleaned and priced before appearing in the shop. Averil explained: “We receive anything between 25 and 125 bags of donations EVERY DAY. That’s a huge amount of ‘stuff’ to be sorted. Sadly, however, despite numerous signs and requests, bags and boxes that are left outside the shop have often been tampered with before our team arrives and many of the items are spoiled and broken or rendered unsaleable, often leading to a cost to DAA for their removal. This is such a disappointment when people donate quality goods that are intended for sale. When we move to our new location in Boutport Street we hope that this will happen a whole lot less!” Averil and her assistant Donna do whatever needs doing in their shop. “I would never ask anyone to do something that I wasn’t prepared to do myself. But I love that some of our volunteers bring specialist skills and interests to the team, so if they want to concentrate on books or steaming, for example, that’s fine too.” It was a customer’s keen interest in vinyl records that netted Averil one of her most memorable sales. A 7” single copy of Stranded in the Jungle by the Cadets from 1956 was bought from our shop for the princely sum of 25 pence. However, the same customer realised that this copy was worth a whole lot more money and, after selling it on to a dealer, donated a further £500 to DAA! Averil clearly thrives on the diversity and challenges of her working day and is looking forward to their move. “Every day is different, I love it. We’ve got great volunteers, from 14 year olds working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award to Marie at 92, along with great customers - there’s always a warm welcome for anyone coming into our shop.”
Retail
Averil and Donna sort through some of the donated bags...
...and discover one of the more unusual donations!
DAA’s new Barnstaple shop will open its doors on Saturday 8th April at 73 Boutport Street, Barnstaple, North Devon, EX31 1SR, just next door to Youings Toy and Model shop. If you would like to volunteer or donate your quality pre-loved items, why not pop along and say hello to Averil and Donna. www.daat.org
Helipad
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Spring
a wonderful time for new beginnings
RHS Rosemoor’s Sarah Chesters tells us of her love for the fresh greens of spring and how it inspires her to start something new in the garden.
I
just love springtime and early summer but always want to hold onto the fresh green of new leaves rather than see them mature to mid-green. It’s a wonderful time for new beginnings, growing some new plants, reating a new flower ed, pruning back overgrown shrubs to let in more light and reinvigorate them. Magnolias always fill me with absolute delight, their flowers varied in colour, from white to pale and deep pinks, rich purple and even yellow. They can be deciduous or evergreen, spring or summer-flowered. If you are thinking long term for your children and grandchildren and have a large garden, then a tree magnolia will truly be heavenly but if your garden is smaller and you’d like results rather sooner, then Magnolia stellata and its forms are perfect. ‘Scented Silver’ is a very good multi-petalled and scented white form and Magnolia liliiflora ‘Nigra’ will in time form a large shrub with beautiful, deep purple and white flowers.
Lonicera ‘Mandarin’ Photo: RHS / Christopher Whitehouse
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ Photo: RHS / Christopher Whitehouse
Lonicera periclymenum e o na Photo: RHS / Barry Phillips
Magnolia liliiflora ‘Nigra’ on Weather Hill, Wisley Photo: RHS / Mike Sleigh 20
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Gardens Summer containers should be planted in spring with dahlias, begonias, heuchera, coleus, zinnias, pelargonium, bidens, petunias……the list is endless and mouth-watering, and conjures up scenes of warm summer days and evenings for sitting out and enjoying the garden with friends. If you have a sweet tooth, why not plant up containers with strawberry plants instead, they can be moved in or out of a greenhouse and can be easier to protect from slugs. In your flower borders, sweet summer scents are all important and honeysuckles are perfect for this and a lovely cut flower for the house too. They need a moist, fertile and well-drained soil, can be deciduous or evergreen and although they will grow in full sun, they are often better in partial shade so the soil doesn’t dry out too quickly. Two forms which will reward you with excellent scent are lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ and ‘Heaven Scent’, while ‘Mandarin’ may not be scented but has such stunning orange and scarlet flowers. All associate really well with climbing roses, chosen so the flower colours complement each other.
Advice Line Make sure you prune spring-flowering shrubs straight after flowering so they have the rest of the growing season to put on the growth which will flower the following year. Remove some of the oldest stems completely to force the shrub to produce fresh new stems from the ground. You should aim for a mixture of old, mediu m and young growth to maintain a healthy looking shrub. Summer container planted with dahlia ‘Happy Single Wink’, begonia ‘Summer Wings White’ and petunia e M ch Picasso’ Photo: RHS / Neil Hepworth Listen in to BBC Radio Devon every Sunday morning from 9.00 – 10.30am, when Sarah Chesters, from RHS Garden Rosemoor, will answer your gardening estions on i organ s rogra e www.daat.org
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Karen has worked at our Nursery for over 2 years. Her areas of expertise are in garden design and perennial planting. Her favourite plant is the Rose.
We propagate & grow over 90% of the garden plants we sell. Saturday 13th May
Free ‘Orchid Care’ talk by guest speaker Dr. Manos Kanellos at our Clyst St Mary garden centre. See website for details.
Be amazedat Bernaville
Visit Bernaville for an amazing selection of quality plants, trees, gardening accessories, furniture, gifts, clothing, speciality foods, restaurant, café and much more.
Call 01392 851326 ● www.bernaville.co.uk ● On the A377, just outside Exeter.
Proud to be supporting Devon Air Ambulance Trust as our Charity of the Year
St Bridget Nurseries Open Mon-Sat 9-5.30 Sun 10.30-5.30 Bank Hol 9-5
www.stbridgetnurseries.co.uk
Old Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7JY Tel: 01392 873672 Sidmouth Rd , Clyst St Mary, EX5 1AE Tel: 01392 876281
The Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt Easter Trail • 1 – 17 April RHS National Rhododendron Competition • 22 – 23 April Rose Festival (incl. Rose Weekend 24 – 25 June) • 17 June – 30 July The Famous Five go on a garden adventure • 29 July – 31 August First Official RHS Flower Show in the South West • 18 – 20 August Apple Festival • 7 – 8 October A Festival of Trees • 13 – 15 October
Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8PH For tickets and promotions rhs.org.uk/rosemoor RHS Members go free RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262
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A warm welcome awaits… We are delighted to introduce our two new receptionists, Dawn and Anita. Both have joined the Charity in the last month and they job-share – with Dawn doing Monday to Thursday mornings and Anita doing every afternoon. With their wealth of experience, big smiles and professional manner, visitors are guaranteed a warm welcome whether you’re visiting in person or calling by telephone. W at ere yo r rst i ressions on oining t e Devon ir b lan e tea
Dawn described the Charity as ‘very well ru n a nd very well orga nised’ a nd Anita said ‘I knew some of the tea m as I volu nteered here for a couple of years but everyone has made me feel so welcome a nd helped me settle in’. Both have been surprised just how busy a nd varied the role is a nd how quickly the time flies by! W at are yo r
ain d ties
“We deal with all general enquiries, both by phone
Fundraisers
Anita
Dawn
and by email, and redirecting to the relevant colleague depending on the question. Greeting visitors or candidates coming in for an interview – we are often their first point of contact with the Trust so it’s imperative that we create a good first impression. We also deal with the outgoing post and all deliveries and we place all the stationery orders. In addition to this we manage the meeting room diaries and we help out with administrative tasks for other colleagues when asked.” s t ere any s
t ing as an average day
“No two days are the sa me – there may be routine jobs that need to be fulfilled, but everything stops if a call comes in or a visitor arrives. There’s certainly never a dull moment.” W at do yo onsider t e or a re e tionist
ost i
ortant
alities
“To be warm, welcoming a nd professional at all times – irrespective of your own workload! Everyone likes to be greeted with a smile.” Outside of work, Anita loves long walks with her dog, socialising and theatre trips with friends and going away in her ca mpervan with her husband. Dawn avidly follows Exeter Chiefs and teaches a regular aerobics class. Dawn also has a passion for the history of London’s East End and visits the capital whenever she can. We o ld like to e tend a very ar Da n and nita and no yo kno be talking to i yo all or one in www.daat.org
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Fishing
there’s more to it than maggot drowning or fl uf f chucking. .
ording to the ngling rust, shing is the UK’s 6th biggest sport measured by once per month participation. This is probably because anyone of any age and of any ability can do it. What’s more, there are lots of places in Devon that can get you started from privately run la es spe ialising in oarse shing to stretches of rivers where trout and even salmon can be attracted to a wellpla ed fly
A
dmittedly, it can be a bit intimidating when you see serious carp anglers with their array of rods, bite detectors and overnight bivouacs all aimed at netting some really ig spe imen sh or the mat h anglers with their metre reel-less poles, seat boxes and a vast array of baits and shing aids are ully arranged to e in rea h or every eventuality. Fishing, however, doesn’t need to be complicated. When it comes down to it, it’s a very pleasurable waterside pastime that the whole family can enjoy with some moderately priced tackle and a willingness to learn. A good place to start is the Canal and River Trust website (www.canalrivertrust.org.uk) where there are some videos about getting started and what you can expect. It will take you through the basics from setting up your equipment to bringing in your first fish. Local fishing clubs are easy to find and they will usually be more than helpful in getting you started or steering you to a good coach. Fly fishing tutors abound and can be easily found through a web search while an increasing number of fisheries that offer day tickets are providing disabled access. (Visit www.bdaa.co.uk – the British Disabled Angling Association). One such is Coombe Fisheries near Yelverton owned and run by farmer and Devon Air Ambulance supporter, Steve 24
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Horn. Coombe is a wonderfully tranquil spot with two a re la es where you an ish rom dawn to dus or ust £6. Overnight fishing is by arrangement and there are disabled facilities although it is best to confirm before you travel. Here you can catch rudd, roach, various carp (to 28lb), tench (to 8lb), crucian, eels and wild trout. All fisheries of this type have their own rules and regulations which you should look up before you go to make sure you can comply. These range from barbless hooks only and limits on the type of bait used to always having an unhooking mat and/or the right size of landing net. Many fisheries have their own tackle shops and offer refreshment and accommodation. Anglers Paradise at Halwill Junction in North Devon does everything on a big scale. Set in 250 acres, it boasts 30 lakes with 4 miles of banks to fish from. There are specimen carp lakes, a tench and orfe lake (which is in the shape of a tench), match lakes and a small lake ideal for children and adults new to the sport. There are also 38 villas, 2 bars, a swimming pool, tackle shop – and they make their own baits. It even has a professional fishing guide to help starters or improve the skills of veterans. Owned and run by the flamboyant Zyg regore , nglers aradise has raised well over , or DAA. There are also a couple of things to remember before you
www.daat.org
Anglers Paradise in North Devon
Out & About
It’s a very pleasurable waterside pastime that the whole family can enjoy with some moderately priced tackle and a willingness to learn. start. There is a close season for river fishing which runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive. This is when coarse angling is suspended on rivers, streams and specified canals and still waters to protect spawning fish though most private fisheries offer year round fishing. Secondly, any angler aged 12 or over, fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England must have a valid Environment Agency Rod Fishing Licence which you can get online or at most Post Offices. Finally, did you know that the Angling Trust has a strategy
to get people fishing which is more than just maggot drowning (coarse fishing) or fluff chucking (fly fishing)? The strategy is aimed at additional benefits including angling as a tool to improve educational attainment, improve physical and mental health, restore degraded water environments, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and improve personal esteem and effectiveness. It’s a “gateway to accessing, learning and caring about the natural environment” – and that’s close to every heart in Devon. o
www.daat.org
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The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Beautiful Devon
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www.daat.org
The
amar alley
a truly en hanting
ine
minute train ride
Rivers are natural dividers. The Danube divides Buda from Pest. In Paris the eine de nes the hara ter o the ity a ording to whether you on the le t or the right an he mighty hine orms parts o the orders o ermany, ran e, ustria, ie htenstein and wit erland But here in the est ountry, there is only one order that everyone is aware o and that s the one that separates, or unites, evon and ornwall the iver amar
T
he amar is miles long rising ust south o Bude and meandering through eauti ul valleys and heathland to the sea at lymouth where it merges with the rivers avy, lym and ynher u h o the amar alley is designated as an rea o utstanding atural Beauty with the tidal estuary lassi ed as a uropean pe ial rea o onservation and a ite o pe ial ienti nterest e ause o the ha itat and wildli e he river is tidal and naviga le or a remar a ly long way and the intertidal mudats are an internationally important ha itat or migratory wading irds he wide wooded amar alley is a must see e perien e ringing together stunningly eauti ul s enery with wildli e, rare plants, shing, sailing, river ruising, mining heritage, mar et gardens, armland, histori houses and one o the most memora le rail ourneys you ll ever have he amar alley ine runs rom the heart o lymouth to unnisla e in ornwall and is an en hanting minute ourney he servi e is operated y reat estern ailway and is a ommunity ailway supported y the evon and ornwall ail artnership, a non pro t partnership etween lo al authorities, the railway and lymouth niversity he rst part o the ourney rom lymouth through stations at evonport, o yard and eyham are on the mainline to ornwall so date a to mid i torian times he line then ran hes o northwards ta ing in t Budeau , Bere errers, Bere lston, alsto and ending up in unnisla e on the ornish side o the amar he line rom t Budeau to Bere lston was opened or passenger tra in while the stret h to unnisla e ollowed in a ter the ompletion o the alsto iadu t he servi e es aped the in amous Bee hing uts in the s e ause road travel in the area was so poor
tarting rom the lymouth end o the line, the rst part o the ourney ta es you through unprepossessing ur an sprawl used y ommuters travelling in and out o the region s iggest ity his is where to get an unusual and alternative view o Brunel s altash railway ridge and the more re ent road ridge whi h was opened in But it s when the amar alley ine rea s ree rom the metropolis you an sit a and ta e in some real est ountry s enery irst up is the riverside village o Bere errers whi h is a tually on the an s o the iver avy on the Bere eninsula i e many lo ations along the amar alley, the village was on e a mining ommunity he Bere errers area was on e amous or its silver earing ores with mining a tivities dating a to the medieval period ore re ently, mu h o the surrounding area was ta en up with da odil and so t ruit arming he amar alley B team has een awarded , rom the eritage ottery und to re ord and raise awareness o the histori da odil varieties in the Bere peninsula lands ape you would li e to get involved, please visit www tamarvalley org u he amar Belle eritage entre is uilt around Bere errers station and in ludes a visitor entre and e hi ition, restored signal o res ued rom inhoe station in eter, a ullman style dining ar, restored rolling sto , overnight a ommodation in re ur ished railway arriages and a host o period eatures he lde lough nn at Bere errers is on the ail le rail and has the unusual oast o you at h it, we ll oo it an in entive or visiting game shermen i ever there was one n to the larger village Bere lston through more rolling hills, meandering rivers and an ient woodlands he village is ust a mile or so away rom the pi tures ue eir uay where the
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This is where to get an unusual and alternative view of Brunel’s Saltash railway bridge and the more recent road bridge which was opened in 1962 Tamar estuary narrows into the tidal river. It’s remarkable that ships of up to 400 tons were once able to navigate as far as here. Next stop is Calstock and one of the highlights of your railway ourney is when the train slows to ross the magni ent alsto Viaduct taking you into Cornwall. With 12, sixty foot wide arches and perched 120ft above the river, you can see for miles across open countryside and can even glimpse the lovely Tudor house at Cotehele (National Trust) from the Grade II* listed structure. This is where Victorian trippers would enjoy a day trip via paddle steamer and although the boats have changed you can still make the four hour, 12 mile trip from Plymouth today as the river remains navigable to here at high tide. Calstock is an attractive village with steep banks of cottages and narrow winding lanes. It has been an important port since Saxon times although there is evidence that the Romans had a settlement here. As a port, Calstock was vital to the mining industry for centuries transporting copper, tin, tungsten, arsenic and even silver. There is a scenic walk to the National Trust’s Cotehele to have
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a look at the house and gardens, the historic quay and working watermill or you can just eat and drink in the village’s two popular pubs, the Boot Inn and the waterside Tamar Inn. Our Tamar Valley Line journey ends as we approach Gunnislake station (more accurately Drakewalls as Gunnislake village centre is almost 1 mile away). Gunnislake is another large village where mining played a pivotal role in its economic development. Narrow streets of miners’ cottages still exist today along with ruined mine buildings and long defunct industrial chimneys in the surrounding areas. There is even a wonderful ‘sit-by-me’ statue of a miner, named William, near the village centre. The seven arch New Bridge, which was actually built at Gunnislake in the 16th century, was until the 1960s the main crossing point over the River Tamar on the road to Tavistock. Like Calstock, Gunnislake is on the Cornwall side of the river, but, just as Devon Air Ambulance will respond to incidents over the border when required, we thought that Helipad would be forgiven for encroaching into the Duchy on its journey up the Tamar Valley Line!
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A pootle ‘bout
Paignton with DAA Safety Manager, Rob Mackie
T
he Anglo-Saxon settlement of Paega’s town, later einton, eynton and aignton, rst gets a mention in the Doomsday Book of AD1086. The town received its Royal Charter in 1294 and has been a popular seaside resort ever since Mr Brunel brought the railway here in 1859. It is also my home town and I’d like to give you an insight into some of its slightly more obscure gems. We start on the Totnes Road at Paignton Zoo. The original entrance on Totnes Road is long gone but the Zoo is now a wonderful, exciting and educational attraction, worldrenowned for conservation and breeding programmes. It’s well worth a visit when you have more time. Next, head a towards town on the otnes oad, ta ing the rst right into Hayes Road then left down the hill where, on the left-hand side, is the Hayes School. Opened in the reign of Edward VIII, the school holds fond memories for me! Carry on down Hayes Road, which merges into St Michael’s Road, then right into Fisher Street where, at the junction with artmouth oad, we nd the Big ree , though te hni ally nowadays it should be called the ‘Big Stump’. This was a 92 foot tall Monterey Cypress tree planted in the late 1890’s which became a local landmark due to its size. In 2001 the tree was dying and the council had to take the decision to cut most of the tree down. However, local artist Mic Chambers created a beautiful sculpture from the stump with faces, scrolls and seats cut into the wood for
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BigTree
people waiting for a bus, so the landmark remains and the bus company still calls the stop - ‘Big Tree’. From here, head up Dartmouth Road towards Clennon Valley, turn left into Tanners Road, over the railway bridge where you might be lucky enough to see a steam train plying its way between Paignton and Kingswear, then on to Goodrington Sands. To my mind it’s the best beach in the bay with many a school holiday spent here. Having had a paddle and an ice cream, leave at the northern end of the beach and follow the South West Coast Path up through the li wal s, over oundham oint and gardens into li oad passing the Burma tar memorial garden on your right. Turn right into Roundham Road to arrive at Paignton Harbour. I remember this as a proper working har our with the ar hes on the southern side housing sh and shell sh pa ers and pro essors ontinue on the coastal path under the arch at the Lighthouse restaurant to come out onto Paignton Green and beach proper. Amble up towards the pier, opened in 1879, but ut a ross the green e orehand into ar eld oad to nd the entran e to i toria ar o under the railway bridge and on the right is the boating pond which frequently became the ‘paddling’ pool during
Paignton Harbour
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Winter Walk
he published an English version o the i le Now wander down Coverdale Road and turn half right to stroll through the quaint gardens in Palace Avenue park, at the top end of which is the Palace Theatre. It is a true community asset; the oldest surviving theatre in Torbay, being uilt in , whose survival is due in no small part to its impressive army of volunteers and supporters. That concludes my guided tour, though there is much more to Paignton I’ve not even touched on; ldway ansion, urope s rst purpose built cinema the Torbay Picture House or the famous Paignton pudding after which we ‘pudden eaters’ are nicknamed. hy not pootle o and e plore this paradoxical town yourselves; it’s not all sand and saucy post ards you now
The Palace Theatre
hot summers, at least until ar y hased us o Carry on past the tennis courts and bear right following the path around to come out at the junction of Torquay Road and Cecil Road. On the wall on the left-hand side of the junction opposite is our next landmark, the ‘Milk Bottle’. Out o onte t now, the meter high ottle was rst used in the s to advertise the Longcombe Dairy shop behind it. Originally made of wood, if the elements didn’t damage it, the vandals generally did hen the dairy shop losed, the ottle almost rotted away and disappeared but the locals loved their bottle so much that a local builder moulded a replacement in concrete, which is what you see today. Head into town along Torquay Road and turn right into Church Street, leading to the older part of town. Continue up Church Street, past the cottage hospital, through the impressive lychgate to the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Inside you will nd one o the est and most elaborately carved wooden rood screens in the county. ost o my undays were spent here in the hoir stalls Leave via the lychgate and turn left into Palace Place where, at the end, you will see the 14th Century walls that surrounded the Bishop’s Palace and the remains of what was the private chapel attached to it. Follow the wall and the footpath and turn right into Church Road. At the corner of Tower Road is the complete and original 14th Century ‘Coverdale’ or ‘Bible’ tower iles overdale, Bishop o eter etween and , is reputed to have lived in the tower and where, in ,
Coverdale Tower
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Every cloud...
Two years ago Karen Bryant was driving home to Modbury from Plymouth, with her husband Bob, after a morning’s shopping. They were looking forward to some lunch and had been talking about a New Year’s eve party they were invited to the following evening. Karen takes up the story...
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We were on the A379 and I have a strange slow motion memory of a car approaching from an angled junction, but not stopping. In the same moment that I realised the car wasn’t going to stop, it hit us. The two cars colliding made the most horrendous noise une pe ted loud noises still a e t me now The impact activated the airbags and the powder that was released looked like smoke so we thought the car was on fire; the instinct to escape was extremely powerful. I released my seatbelt, but realised that Bob couldn’t get his undone, he’d broken his wrist. The collision was virtually head-on but we were able to open the doors and fall out, both immediately collapsing to the ground. The awful thing was that now we couldn’t see each other and so each had no idea what was happening to the other. At this point I remember feeling overwhelming pain; I truly thought I was going to die. Gradually I became aware of people around me, talking to me and trying to reassure me, although I found it very difficult to communicate with them. There were some very kind people that stopped to help that day. I have a vague recollection of being told that I was being taken to hospital by helicopter. I clearly remember lying on a stretcher and looking up feeling very reassured to see someone in uniform looking calm and in control. I don’t remember the journey but I was taken to the Trauma Unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where I was treated for severe internal
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injuries. My husband was brought in by ambulance and we were put side by side on our respective trolleys; I was so frightened for both of us. Later that day I underwent major surgery and will be eternally grateful for both the skill of the surgeon and the work of the trauma team. I spent nearly two weeks in hospital where I began my long road to recovery from surgery, a fractured back and sternum and some painful soft tissue injuries. To add insult to injury, I also ended up with pneumonia. I’ve since had to have surgery to my foot, which was also injured in the accident. On arrival home we received the most fantastic support from family and friends in the small community in which we live. It’s been a testing time, but a time that has taught me many things about myself and the people around me - every cloud and all that. I will always be so grateful to Devon Air Ambulance Trust for getting me to the hospital so quickly and I believe that without them I might not be here now. We are so lucky to have this tremendous service available for free - but nothing’s for free really is it? That’s why I believe we need to support DAAT in whatever way possible, whether giving time as a volunteer, joining DAAT lottery, donating or buying from one of their shops, or maybe making provision in your will! A very big thank you to everyone involved in providing and supporting this service. o
”
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LOTTERY YOU FLUTTER WE FLY
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Wayne’s World… Meet Wayne Edwards, one of our valued Lottery canvassers – coming to a town near you! How did you get into canvassing?
I applied to work as a fu ndraiser for the RSPB. I got the job a nd in 2011 won their All-Rou nd F ield Fu ndraiser of the Y ear Award, South West Division. How long have you been working for the charity? How did this come about?
I’ve worked representing DAAT since 2013. I knew a canvasser who worked for the Air Ambulance in Bristol, she thought I might be suitable for the Air Ambulance canvassing tea m in my area and introduced me. W at is t e best t ing abo t re resenting Devon Air Ambulance?
I’m representing a charity that is rightly held in very high regard by the people of Devon, every day I have people asking me to pass on their thanks to the helicopter crews for the a mazing work they do. For me the best feeling comes from signing up lots of new members for our Lottery, which ultimately means more funds to keep the helicopters flying and saving lives in our county.
What do you get up to in your spare time?
I have a young fa mily and enjoy spending as much time as I can with them. I’m currently studying for a PhD in Biodiversity Management with the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent and I also work closely with the F ield Conservation and Research Department as well as the Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates Department at Paignton Z oo. a ne ee ng i a i en o o gh at Paignton Zoo
What did you do before you became a canvasser?
I’ve had a varied work history; after leaving school I worked on building sites as a la bourer as well as a push-bike messenger in London, waiter, disc-jockey, racecourse grou ndsma n a nd believe it or not, a beauty salon receptionist! But my passion has always been in the natural world - I’ve been involved both as a volu nteer a nd part-time researcher in this field since 2004; I even got to meet a nd chat with Sir David Attenborough a bout my research last year. You can join our lottery by Direct Debit by filling out the form overleaf and mailing it to: DAAT Lottery, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter, EX4 8NS If you would prefer to set up a regular Direct Debit with the Charity, please refer back to page 9
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Lottery Membership Application The sum of (tick one box only)
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Lottery promoted by Devon Air Ambulance Trust. Devon Air Ambulance Trust is licensed by the Gambling Commission, Number 000-0005032-N-308657-001. Responsible person: C. Creer www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk Please gamble responsibly. For advice visit www.gambleaware.co.uk DAAT is a member of the Lotteries Council and is committed to promoting a responsible approach to gambling. Contact us at : T: 01392 469 886 E: lottery@daat.org www.daat.org
Administration Office: DAAT Lottery Office, 5 Sandpiper Court, Harrington Lane, Exeter EX4 8NS. You will shortly receive a letter from us showing your lucky number/s. There is no need to claim as all prizes are paid automatically. All proceeds go to support the Devon Air Ambulance Trust Charity No 1077998. Your subscription is greatly appreciated as the charity needs to raise £5.5 million a year to keep both helicopters flying. We receive no Government funding nor do we qualify for a National Lottery grant. We rely on your support, to help us to continue our essential life saving service. Results are printed in the Plymouth & Devon Sunday Independent and published every Friday afternoon on our website at www.daat.org. Thank you for your support - you are truly making a difference.
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I nstruction to your bank or building society Please pay Devon Air Ambulance Trust Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with The Air Ambulance Lottery Society and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society. Signature(s)
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• All customer funds intended for the use in future gambling and or lottery subscriptions will be held in a separate bank account or accounts relating to the relevant affiliated charity lottery and will be completely separate from the Charity’s trading income. • We are required by our licence to inform customers about what happens to funds which we hold on account for you, and the extent to which funds are protected in the event of insolvency. www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/consumers/protection-of-customer-funds.aspx We hold customer funds separate from Charity’s funds. This means that steps have been taken to protect customer funds but that there is no absolute guarantee that all funds will be repaid. This meets the Gambling Commission’s requirements for the segregation of customer funds at the level: medium protection. • The licensee operates a strict no ‘cash policy’ to prevent the risk of crimes such as money laundering, to avoid the giving of illicit credit and to provide assurances that gambling activities are being conducted fairly. Banks and building societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account.
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This Guarantee should be retained by the payer.
The Direct Debit Guarantee This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit PSL re DAAT Lottery will notify you 5 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request The PSL re DAAT Lottery to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by PSL re DAAT Lottery or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society – If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when PSL re DAAT Lottery asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.
DAAT would keep youyou informed about our work, how your how support hassupport helped keep helicopters the helicopters air and how you canair be involved in the DAAT wouldlike liketo to keep informed about our work, your hasour helped keepinour in the and how youfuture. can
I do not wish to receive information by post, by telephone about DAAT’s work. by telephone Using email and text messages helps us to be more cost effective. Please tick here if you are happy to receive communications about the DAAT’s work by Using email and text messages helps us to be more cost effective. Please tick here if you are happy to receive communications about email by text . by text with any other organisation for their marketing purposes. the work email We DAAT’s promise to neverbyshare your information Please see our privacy statement at www.daat.org for detailed information about how we use your data. 34 www.daat.org The Official Ambulance Trust Magazine Helipad White Copy = Office YellowDevon CopyAir = Customer WE DO NOT ACCEPT CASH
be involved in the future. I do not wish to receive information about DAAT’s work by post
ndy su ered serious in uries, ut he’s still a keen motorbike rider…
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Last year’s Tiverton Bike Show, held each August, was very well attended and proved a great opportunity for us to meet with lots of keen and enthusiastic bikers.
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ne such motorcyclist who introduced himself was Andy Leach from Crediton. Andy explained that on 29th September 2012 he found himself in urgent need of the Devon Air Ambulance. He had been out enjoying a late summer ride through Devon’s countryside when, on the Okehampton to Crediton road approaching his home town, a car pulled out in ront o him, no ing him lean o his i e Andy sustained serious injuries, including 15 fractures (9 of them to his ribs), a ruptured spleen (which had to be removed), a punctured lung, lacerated liver, a ruptured colon and other internal bleeding. The Air Ambulance aircrew were called and stabilised Andy for the flight to Derriford, where he spent 4 weeks in an induced coma. His first memory after the accident was recognising his daughter at his bedside
and gradually realising how much time had passed and how worrying those past four weeks must have been for his family. As a builder and carpenter by trade, Andy was always very active and, looking back, he is convinced his fitness helped his recovery. “My daughter and her partner moved in to help me to start with; I am still so grateful to them, they were such a great help,” he explained. “After being in hospital for seven weeks and a total of seven months off work, I was finally able to return to my job. Four years on, my arm still hurts where the metal plates were fitted but, other than that, I’m doing pretty well now and, yes, I am back riding motorbikes!” Our thanks go to Andy for his support of our annual Motorcycle Ride Out and for sharing his story. o
ndy s rst memory a ter the accident was recognising his daughter at his bedside
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Whatever next, bread shortages?
Devon Chef Richard Hunt
Well, after all the panic buying of Iceberg lettuce and courgettes in February, perhaps this might give us all a little nudge about the importance of seasonality in food.
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or many years I have made a policy of not serving items like strawberries for example after their British season as there is no doubt that the imported fruit tastes nowhere near as good as the British, so why should my guests endure poor flavour and strawberries that are as crunchy as a granny smith apple? Anyway off my soap box and back to the important world of great food. Now that the hope and promise of spring is just around the corner we get our taste buds tingling with the delights that the Westcountry larder has on offer. Hopefully by now your larder cupboards are brimming with all that Seville Marmalade that we all lovingly sliced the peel for and look forward to enjoying at breakfast or in fab cakes throughout the coming year, I know that the callous on my knife hand is a constant reminder of the hundreds of oranges I have sliced. The game season is winding down with most of the game birds safe for another year, but there is still some lovely wild venison about, particularly off the Haldon area and Exmoor on the border; it’s great for all kinds of dishes from Carpaccio using the fillet to slow braised haunch or wonderful meaty pies and burgers. Venison is a great alternative to beef without the fat content so if you are lucky enough to buy or receive a saddle of venison, please don’t overcook it as the meat will dry out very quickly; but cook to a lovely medium rare or perhaps get the barbecue going - even at this time of year the warming coals are a fab spring evening event.
Look out for the first spring lamb hitting the shelves of your local butcher, it carries a premium in price but as a treat it’s worth it. On the fish front, most of the flatfish such as plaice, flounder, dabs etc will be just coming off spawning so they will be a little thin for the next month or so; it’s best to leave them to fatten up for 6 weeks or so. Chunky cod is about and try if you can to get fillets of a nice big fish, say 5kg or so, as the flesh will be lovely and thick with luscious flakes. Bake in a foil parcel with some finely sliced carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaf, a drop of white wine and a knob of butter, season well and cook at about 200c gas 7-8 for 15-20 minutes, serve with some creamy mash and kale and finish the juices in the parcel with some chopped parsley; simple but tasty. As we move into April the wonderful brown crab becomes more available. It’s worth the effort and tastes sooo much better when you crack a crab yourself. Buy a nice large heavy cock crab (the way to tell is the flap underneath will be pointed and not oval shaped) and turn into crabcakes, crab Bisque or a simple baked gratin with some smoked paprika, lemon, parsley and cheesy crumble topping finished under the grill until bubbly and golden. The recipe I have chosen for this issue is a bridge between seasons, a warming dish to make you just feel happy and content - enjoy! o
Hopefully by now your larder cupboards are brimming with all that Seville Marmalade that we all lovingly sliced the peel for
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Devon Food
Stalkers Pie serves 6 generously
Ingredients 3 tbsp vegetable oil 100gm good smoked bacon or ‘Wild Boar Bacon’ if you can source this 1¼kg venison mince 2 medium onions, finely chopped 3 carrots chopped 3 celery sticks, chopped 2 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 dsp redcurrant jelly 3 tbsp plain flour 1 tbsp tomato purée large glass red wine (optional) 850ml beef stock 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce few thyme sprigs 2 bay leaves For the mash 1kg potatoes chopped 200gm parsnips chopped 200gm swede peeled and chopped 25g butter 75ml double cream 200g strong cheddar freshly grated nutmeg 100gm fresh white bread crumbs Method Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove and fry the mince until browned in the remaining oil and bacon fat – you may need to do this in batches, setting aside as it browns. Put the rest of the oil into the pan, add the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic, flour and tomato purée, increase the heat and cook for a few minutes, then return the beef to the pan. Pour over the wine, if
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using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the stock, Worcestershire sauce, herbs and redcurrant jelly. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes. By this time the gravy should be thick and coating the meat. Check after about 30 minutes – if a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat slightly to reduce the gravy a little. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks. Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes, swede and parsnips in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain well, then allow to steamdry for a few minutes. Mash well with the cream, butter and three-quarters of the cheese, then season with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Spoon meat into ovenproof dishes. Spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. If eating straight away, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve with Cavalo Nero and some buttered carrots
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Out & About
Lapstock
rocks for the Air Ambulance
The mid Devon village of Lapford will come alive at the end of July when local residents stage the 11th Music at the Mill Festival known to everyone as Lapstock and this year the well established event has adopted Devon Air Ambulance as its charity for 2017.
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he two day festival takes place on July 28th and 29th featuring bands from all over the country and is highly regarded amongst musicians for its professional staging and equipment. It features a free Friday night programme showcasing young South West based talent before the main show on Saturday 29th July which will attract some 1200 people for 12 hours of music spread over three stages. Over 20 acts will perform over the two day festival. Festival Director, Steve Keable said: “It’s amazing that last year we celebrated a decade of Lapstocks. It’s a not-for-profit enterprise where any surplus goes to fund next year’s festival. Devon Air Ambulance have always taken a stand at the event but this year we want to do so much more for the charity. Lapstock was conceived by ‘The Bill’ actor Peter Ellis (Superintendent Brownlow) and his wife Anita while they were living at the Mill in Lapford. It provides new bands with
The Lapstock crew
the experience of playing live at an open air festival and it attracts both festival junkies and family groups many of whom camp on site. Steve Keable added: “Our aim is to celebrate local skills and talents at a music festival that is accessible to all and affordable. To keep costs low, musicians and bands play for expenses, not profit but they do benefit from the attention the event attracts from bookers and agents. We usually have a waiting list of more than 40 bands. “We have a minor army of 100 volunteers which makes Lapstock very much a community event and everything from beer to bread and hay bales is sourced very locally.” Headline bands already booked include reggae/rock band Lionstar and London based Tankus the Henge. The Friday night young talent showcase is free. Tickets for the main festival day cost £20 on the door and £15 in advance and are available by visiting www.lapstock.org.uk o 38
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Quad bike tumble
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Martyn Bucknell from Creacombe near Rackenford introduced himself to Devon Air Ambulance colleagues at the Widecome Fair last September. He explained that he had need o the ir m ulan e a in ay atient iaison er, e ie regory, aught up with him to nd out more
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hilst working as Farm Manager on a local farm artyn had een moving livesto out in the elds from his quad bike when he was sidetracked by the sight of a hare in his path. In a split second, Martyn lost control of the quad bike and was unable to stop himself from being propelled over the handlebars. Initially, whilst shocked, he thought he was only winded and tried to get up. He had, however, su ered serious internal in uries as well as rea ing his pelvis in three places. As he lost sensation in his legs, he managed to call his boss and said “I’m sorry but I’ve had a small scummer on the bike!” His boss rushed to the field and found Martyn in a crumpled heap, conscious but clearly in need of urgent medical assistance. Both men were mightily relieved when the Devon Air Ambulance flew into sight and landed nearby. Paramedics Glenn Birtwisle and Dave Huyton attended and stabilised Martyn for the flight to Exeter’s RD&E Hospital. owever, as the ull e tent o artyn s in uries were realised, he was transferred by road to Derriford Hospital the following day where he spent the next seven weeks, initially in
Intensive Care. With a mass heamatoma in his pelvis, doctors were unable to pin the bones so used clamps instead. He finally went home in July to begin the lengthy rehabilitation and recovery process. Despite his consultant warning that his recovery would probably be 18-24 months, Martyn was relieved to return to wor ust a ew months a ter the a ident e was soon back on a quad bike too but says, “I think about it much more carefully now! My bosses were brilliant - I started oming a very gradually, ust helping out where ould while I was still on crutches, then full-time after 12 months. With my wife and daughter both having ridden horses all their lives and taken part in Hunter Trials and gymkhanas, I always imagined that one of them might need the Air Ambulance one day. I never imagined for one moment that it would be me! And travelling in a land ambulance the day after the accident from Exeter to Plymouth – where even minor bumps on the road hurt so much - makes me even more grateful that I was flown by helicopter from the farm in Tiverton to RD&E on the day.” o Ma
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Frightening time for the whole family
avid ea er rom oundswell in Barnstaple su ered a heart atta when he was only e was t, a tive and everyone thought healthy so, not surprisingly, it was a terrible shock for the whole family.
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avid was at wor when he e ame ill in the o e at the Ashford Treatment Works and colleagues called for a land ambulance crew to attend. The land crew attended to David at the scene. The results of monitoring were sent live to the cardiac specialist at RD & E Hospital who recommended that David needed to get to Exeter straight way. The land ambulance conveyed him with his wife Debbie to North Devon District ospital helipad evon s ir m ulan e then flew him to RD&E in Exeter, where David needed immediate surgery to have a stent tted The incident brought back dreadful memories for his mum who rushed to his bedside. Jean explained, “It was such a shock to see David lying there, with all the tubes and wires attached. My husband, David’s dad, had suffered a heart attack when he was just 51 and sadly he didn’t recover, dying when he was just 52 years old. To see my son lying there brought back such terrible memories. David had been just 17 when his dad died and here he was, with the same problem, his own son only 17. Fortunately for everyone, David is making a good recovery and is now back at work. Jean expressed gratitude on behalf of the whole family. It was a very difficult time for his wife Debbie, daughter Jasmine and son Louis. “I was already a big supporter of our Air Ambulance and I play the Lottery every week to ‘do
David and Jean were delighted to attend an open day at our airbase where they met members of the aircrew as well as other patients, fundraisers and colleagues from the Trust.
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my bit’. For my 70th birthday I did a Zip Wire challenge, which raised £530. It was such great fun that now, as I approach my 75thbirthday, I’m planning to have a go at Europe’s longest zip wire, in Snowdonia. My friends think I’m mad but it’ll be great fun and, after all, age is just a number!” Go Jean!! David and Jean were delighted to attend an open day at our airbase where they met members of the aircrew as well as other patients, fundraisers and colleagues from the Trust. Patient Liaison for the Trust, Debbie Gregory, explained, “The visits we organise are so rewarding for everyone who attends. All our guests get a real sense of being part of a big family; paramedics, pilots, engineers, office staff, fundraisers, volunteers, business supporters – everyone pulling together for the same end – for a fantastic service that benefits the patients in their hour of need. Our aircrews love to meet the people they’ve helped; it’s hugely satisfying to see the difference that their work has made, not just to an individual but, often, to a whole family.” o ean eing hoo e fo he i i e challenge
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Fundraisers Extraordinaire! Pete Tomes’ New Year Challenge Whilst Christmas may now feel like a distant memory, for some the traditional New Year’s Resolution is an opportunity for a real personal challenge. DAA supporter and Storm Running Club member Pete Tomes of Tavistock decided to start the new year with a real goal. He takes up the story… “2017 brings a new year, with new goals to achieve. No matter what your goals are, how big or small, if you believe in yourself, you will achieve your goals! Inspired by so many fellow Storm runners signing up for the 100-mile challenge, I also wanted to kick start the year as I meant to go on. So I decided I would set myself a similar challenge, just adding a few extra miles. In January I will be running 310 miles to help raise money for Devon Air Ambulance Trust.”
Fundraisers
Anchors Aweigh When north Devon based sea shanty singers, Anchors Aweigh, chose to raise funds for DAA in autumn 2015 they hoped to raise around £2,000. Such was their hard work, dedication and fantastic support, however, they actually raised over £5,350!
The 12 singers performed regularly through the summer last year at two local venues in Mortehoe and Woolacombe. Further entertainment was available at many of their gigs from the Red Petticoats Dance Group from Ilfracombe who joined the shanty singers on several occasions. The Red Petticoats even organsised an Exmoor Tour where, memorably, they once performed four gigs in one day!
And, despite the dark mornings and the sometimes bleak weather, Pete completed his challenge. Updating his blog on a regular basis, it was evident that Pete took it all in his stride. “The Tamar Trails near Gunnislake make a stunning training route and one day I ran for over 3 hours in the snow across Dartmoor - it was amazing,” explained Pete, “It makes you feel so alive!” Indeed, the photos suggest that Pete never stopped smiling and he raised over £750 for DAA in the process. What a great start to the year - thanks Pete!
Anchors Aweigh entertained locals and visitors alike at the regular venues and, such was the toe-tapping popularity of their repertoire, the singers were even invited to entertain at a local wedding. The group would like to publicly thank The Chichester Arms, Mortehoe and The Red Barn, Woolacombe for all their assistance. Our thanks go to them all, especially as they have just offered to carry on singing in support of Devon Air Ambulance through 2017 as well!
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Business on Board
Fro allo ing sta to vol nteer at o r events to o ering goods or servi es or s onsoring an event t ere are any ays t at b sinesses an s ort o r ork and LL are ost a re iated We are grate l to every b siness large and s all o raise nds or s ere are st a e B rts ris s have adopted DAA as their Charity of the Year for the third year running… much to the delight of our aircrew! Burts a ha e n e a en a variety of challenges including the Plymouth Half Marathon, a an a n a e and recycling mobile telephones. They have currently raised over
Bridge otor y les have always been big supporters of DAA and we are delighted to announce that they are our main sponsor for this year’s Motorcycle Ride Out on Sunday 9th July. The o e a ing in e on ea f l co n i e ill a at Trago Mills at Newton Abbot and there will be fun for all the family at the end of the ride on Teignmouth’s Den
Lloyds Bank in Barnstaple hosted a Golf Day to raise funds for DAA. £2,000 was raised on the day,which was matchf n e lo o n a on bringing the total to
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tter arden entres ho ha e ho oo in O e Ma To a an l o h ha e nominated DAA as their Charity of the Year for 2017. DAA’s Tracy Owen was delighted to go along to ee he ea a O e Ma an i c hei i ea fo f n ai ing h o gho he ea
a fo eller ann yton in Plymouth nominated DAA as their Charity of he ea e e al colleag e oine oge he o a e a in la year’s Commando Challenge and raised in total.
The Official Devon Air Ambulance Trust Magazine
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Blakes Coaches choo e a i e en cha i each ea i h eing no ina e fo e ince i h f n ai e in a a ie of a incl ing e e ng c o e ona e their loose change at the end of a coach holiday, they raised a whopping £7,000 in
For the second year running we would like to thank The Exeter for sponsoring our popular agon oa e al a e e a Thi ea event takes place on Sunday 24th September! For anyone interested in entering a team, boats a e ll a aila le lea e con ac T ac on 466666
As previous winners of the prestigious PWC West of England Business of the Year award, DAA CEO Heléna Holt was invited to present the award to this year’s winners Ministry of Cake. DAA also received a total of £1,600 from donations made on the evening at the gala dinner
Home removal specialists, Bishop’s Move in ee o a ing a a e lo e f ni e an eli e ing i o o ni e & Electrical store. Area Retail Manager Sue hi ha ai Thei ecl e an ona e che e i i ch a g ea ini a e o e e people just don’t know what to do with the bits they no longer want. As long as the items are in good order, including clothing, linen, accessories and some items of furniture,we can recycle them hich ai e f n an in n a e li e We would like to say a big thank you to Crealy Adventure Park for elec ng a one of hei fo ha i e of he ea an e loo fo a o o ing i h he h o gho
If your business is interested in supporting DAA call Tracy Owen on 01392 466666 ext. 134 or by email on t.owen@daat.org
Get in touch!
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Devon People
Real people saving real lives - what could you do to save a life? There are always loads of events and activities taking place around the county and our thanks go to ALL our fundraisers. Here are just a few…
p A successful Christmas raffle at the Bearslake Inn raised a fabulous £1,650, bringing their total to nearly £9,000 raised
Doreen Hayes works tirelessly to keep her gardens tip-top. Visitors to her beautiful gardens in Branscombe have raised over £5,000 in the last 3 years
p Ashreigny Country Fundraisers donated £1,250 from their working day bringing their current total to over £3,500
DAA Volunteer Rory Blair collected a cheque for £1,134 from the Ladies Section of Bigbury Golf Club u
Chosen as their Charity of the Year Captain Sam Potts and the China Fleet Seniors donated £1,425 at their Prize Giving Day 44
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Gill Hoggins and family present DAA volunteer David Weekes with funds from her husband’s funeral
Fundraisers
Plymstock Bowling Club donated nearly £1,200 from a variety of events through 2016 and presented their cheque to volunteer John Hornsby u
Members of Burlescombe Bingo raised £3,000 split between us and our neighbours at DSAA
p Follo ing s ess l ra e nig ts ra es and pub quizzes, The Ring o Bells in West Alvington has now raised £8,660 for DAA Ruby Country Market raises £322 at the Christmas Fair raffle, bringing their total to date to over £4,100
DAA’s Debbie Gregory meets Sanctuary Lodge Trustees and accepts £5,000 following the sale of their venue
Mrs Josie Apps requested donations for her 80th birthday and presents her box containing £170 to volunteer Rory Blair
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p The Hawkchurch Fete raised £400 last September Fern Davis and friends raised over £300 at their Christmas fun ride p Volunteer Simon Card at Royal Marines Charity Concert which raised £500
p Tavistock shop manager Nettie collects a cheque from 3 local retired Royal Marines who enjoy walking on Dartmoor and raise funds for DAA p Totnes Rotary celebrates success of their Longbow Canoe Festival and donates £1,000 to DAA. Totnes Rotary Longbow Canoe Festival is a great family fun day. This year’s event is in May check out the website www.totnescanoefest.co.uk Isca Metal Detecting Club donate funds each year with £530.30 donated in 2016 - keep digging guys!
Did you know: if you are planning an event for Devon Air Ambulance you can download our Fundraising Pack, it’s full of great advice and tips! Go to www.daat.org/fundraising-for-us Or email the team: fundraising@daat.org
Get in touch!
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Hot on the heels of the adults!
Junior Crew
As well as getting into scrapes too our younger supporters are proving that there are many ways to get involved and make a difference to the Charity and their communities.
a ing es a e or lliott When Leanne Hart received a call at work telling her she was urgently needed at home, she wondered what could possibly have happened. On arrival, she saw a First Responder car and she rushed to the house with her heart thumping. It transpired that her young son Elliott, just 13 months old, had fallen from his 1st floor bedroom window. His grandparents were babysitting and had left him asleep in his cot. Unbeknown to them, he had woken, climbed from his cot to the window sill and managed to open the window. Little Elliott was visibly shaken from his fall with cuts and grazes to his face when Leanne arrived and the first responder had requested the Devon Air Ambulance. Incredibly, after being checked over by aircrew paramedics Glenn Birtwistle and Dave Dungay, it appeared that Elliott was virtually unharmed by his fall. As a precaution, Elliott was taken to hospital in Exeter for observations and monitoring, before being allowed home later that day. Leanne described the day, “It was so scary. I felt so helpless and out of control. It was awful seeing Elliott so blotchy from crying and not knowing if he was seriously hurt. I can’t believe that he didn’t suffer more serious injuries but we feel so lucky that we had such great help that day; the paramedics were so reassuring. And we went straight out and fitted all new locks to the windows!”
Crash landing for Ryan Eight year old Ryan Lilley was out on his scooter with his dad and siblings when he lost balance going downhill and crash-landed in a heap in the road. As his dad, Jeff, rushed to grab him from the oncoming traffic, he could see that Ryan was unconscious and unresponsive. Ryan rallied and on arrival back at home, mum, Anna, administered some Calpol, while asking Ryan how he was feeling and checking for any other injuries. At that point Ryan seemed to be okay and complained only about his arm hurting. However, a short while later Anna and Jeff noticed that their little boy had gone very quiet and was staring, unseeing, into space. As his body went tense and his eyes rolled to the back of his head, Anna realised that he was having a seizure. Calling 999, they placed their son in the recovery position whilst waiting for an ambulance crew. Alarmingly, when the paramedics arrived, Ryan started to choke. The cause of choking was removed and the
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p Student Shannon Hawker, of Oakwood Court College in Dawlish, raised £91.25 at a Christmas raffle and presented it to DAA volunteer Norman Maudsley when he visited the school for a presentation in January
ambulance crew inserted a tube in his nose to help Ryan breathe, calling for an Air Ambulance to convey Ryan to hospital as a matter of urgency. Aircrew paramedics Glenn and Nick, with pilot Ivar, were swiftly on scene and Ryan was flown to Derriford Hospital with his dad, Jeff, accompanying him. Ryan is one of six children, Katie, Aron, Reece, Ryan, Shane and Quinn, and the whole family were relieved when he was discharged from hospital the following day. Fortunately, Ryan went on to make a full recovery and followup checks revealed that he is none the worse for his ordeal. Ryan, seated next to mum, and his family
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ore and ore o nities sign to develo a nig t landing site
e ent television overage o Devon ir b lan e s nig t o erations along it a gro ing net ork o o nity Landing ites as led to a arked rise in t e n ber o nig t landing sites no being develo ed We are delig ted t at over o nities are rrently involved in t is initiative and e o ld like to e tend o r sin ere t anks to t e land o ners site anagers nders o n ils and above all t e dedi ated o nity vol nteers o are aking t ese landing sites be o e a reality n t is eat re e ill strate so e t ings to onsider i yo re onsidering a nig t landing site in yo r area tell yo a bit abo t ne grant nding available t ro g D and i ortantly give yo an insig t into o t ese sites are enabling s to e tend yo r servi e into t e eart o yo r o nities d ring t e o rs o darkness
a or
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e on i lance ha ec e a g an f o he i o an ing ne one eci call o ena le o o co ni e e a li h a Community Landing Site and we are now able to provide targeted funding support through our ‘Community Landing Sites Grants Fund’. an f o hi f n can e e o a fo he in alla on co associated with establishing a Community Landing Site suitable for and approved by Devon Air Ambulance as a night landing site. Toby Russell, Community Landing Sites e elo en Office e lain Thi f n means we can provide a grant to cover the f ll con ac o co of ge ng a lan ing i e e a li he hil co ni e ill ll nee o ai e f n fo he infrastructure required at a night landing ie icall ligh ng e i en hi i g ea ne fo co ni e an ill hel ge a lan ing i e o e a onal in a ho a e a o i le The e of he g an oce i o con ac To ho can g i e o
through what is required to establish a site in your area. Every site layout ill e i e en o i i e en al To ee i h o in o co ni to enable the requirements of your site to be discussed. Grants will only be available for sites that have been developed in partnership with our team as we must ensure that proposed sites meet our requirements ac o a ange of c i e ia incl ing a ia on afe g o n o e a on acce i ili an loca on To con n e g an can e o e e o an co ni o gani a on such as the local Council, sports club, charity or other recognised body. The g an eci ien ill nee o co i o ce ain e an con i on an o i e e i ence ha he g an ha een e o f n he in alla on of he o ni an ing i e all of hich can e lain hen i i o co ni
atients already bene
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ince co encing nigh o e a on o a he en of o e e Devon Air Ambulance has already responded to 27 life-changing or life-threatening incidents during the hours of darkness. With just over 20 Community Landing Sites already established, just like during a e e ha e een a le o lan in a o n o illage ocee o he a en loca on an eli e enhanced clinical care alongside land ambulance clinicians and community e on e hen he a en o specialist treatment centres where they have the best possible chance of survival. As more Community Landing Sites come on-line over the coming months we will be able to respond to e en o e a en in a g ea e n e of o n an illage ac o Devon.
Thi f n ean e can o i e a grant to cover the full contractor co of ge ng a lan ing i e e a li he
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f o a e in ol e i h f n ai ing fo o o ni an ing i e lea e no e e on i lance can o i e a le e of o o acco an a lica on o o he g an a ing o gani a on o on o hi e e Tho e co ni e hich ha e a e hei f n ai ing ca aign o i h a clea call o ac on in hei local e ha e ha a i an aine cce h o gh gal ani ing o e eo le o hel ai e f n n he ea l age of e elo ing a lan ing i e con i e hich o gani a on i e lace o a e on e on i ili fo ongoing anage en e on ha ho l e con i e e incl e o ill he ligh ng e i en e in e ha ha en ho l a i e change o ne hi in he f e he e he e a e l le in e e in a i e i he e a nee fo an ag ee en e een ho e a e e g e een he lan o ne i e o e a o an f n ing o fo e a le hen loo ing a i en f ing o en al o e o ce fo he ligh ng ol on a o ie con i e ho o co l a e a l f o a il ing o o he nea o e c o ce a hi i he o co e ec e ol on n o e e o e a ea he e i he o on o in all a ola in o e e ligh ng ol on hich cha ge a e ie o o e he ligh a nigh o e co ni e
ha e eci e o n o e f o a e en o e ain l i h he in alla on of a e a a e ee f o i e e i e ne ligh ng o e in alle he col n i h ligh ha e e ill e ie lanning e i ion ea o o local lanning OďŹƒce ho can hel i h an en i e an lea e e e e can o i e ac g o n info a on cale a ing an e ign an acce a e en o o o a lica on on i e hich o gani a on ill i he a lica on a o ncil ill e cha ge le han o l o i a e lan o ne
f o o l li e o fin o oe o i c ho o co ni can a o e elo i o n nigh lan ing i e lea e con ac o o ni eli a e elo en Office To ell on ell aa o g o
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Back Chat
Spring 2017 has started well in my world‌. Well-known broadcaster and DAAT Patron, David FitzGerald, is a lover of backyard wildlife and his good lady wife. However, they can be a ain on he nance e da odils are o t and being eaten by sl gs t e sno dro s ave died o e os re and y ro s as trodden on by t e ost an o ever t e ond eed is t riving t s a little odd as don t ave a ond b t t e la n is so da n et t at it see s to ave olonised t e area ro t e edge og o se to t e o ost bin. ea ing of hich ha e no ce ha he ene he goo la ife ha een en ing a li le o e on he e en al of life li e ean og foo an n ge ee e on ee o ha e een e e ean i e o n ge ee o an angel e on ha e a og On clo e in ec on of he c oa ha e i co e e ha e ha e een fee ing e e iece of il life f o an n o Mi le nglan e no hi i he ing i e an e ho l e cele a ng he e i h of na e a nancing i all The n ge ee goe o n he g lle of a ozen gol nche ho n a a each o ning li e a fea he e o o i e gang an on ho n l a el a le o due to nyger guts, they are then passed the other way by jackdaws, starlings and a squirrel which clear the bird table completely. The dog food is put out each night for the baby hedgehog who has o e in o he o e il en ho e h ch onl while his parents live in the hedge opposite. They seem to have h o n hi o an hi ea ng ha i can ee h At the moment, he is the only creature not feeding from the bird a le hich o le a a ic an i elec on fo a a rat which has moved into the compost bin and seems to like the ean an i of acon in ha o fo he ea fa
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o ld s t e to ards t e at a but who am I to disturb a 17-hour nap! i ng of he chaďŹƒnche an lac i fo o ca he like looking at the squirrel and rat but would not think of going outside to deal with the rodent problem as they might get their li le a o l h he o a he ca a ho a o i a ho na n o a co ghing a month on food to keep this lot happy. All except the cats who have gone o hei no al ie foo one a he o an eali e i was cheap, and now demand the high end moggy nosh which can only be bought at the local supermarket by the sack. ll ha e a e a co le of a ing alen ne a ca e an en and the enemy, the good lady wife, set her sights low again on the e en o e an chocola e f on an he a n i a oin e a e ill al o ee c ac in he e en o e an chocola e f on a lea on e e ing li e a f ien of ine ho ee e ha he ill e gi ing chocola e fo lin a e i il hen en en he ill e e ing a alling fur balls.
Fitz
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with With circulation over 45,000 copies our publication reaches more people in Devon than any other local glossy magazine. Over 35,000 copies are mailed directly to our supporters feedback shows the magazine is anticipated, well read, retained and shared. Helipad is available online at www.daat.org. Our site attracts an average of 12,500 visitors per month and it is shared via our popular social media channels. A great commercial opportunity – mutually beneficial to your business and the Trust.
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call: 01392 466666 or email: helipad@daat.org Devon Air Ambulance Trust Registered Charity No.1077998 Company No.3855746
Let’s e t a r b e l Ce ! r e h t e Tog In August we celebrate 25 years of service to the county, why not celebrate your 25th with us? Whether it’s your anniversary, birthday, years in business or you just want to celebrate then join our
Say it with Silver campaign and make a pledge to raise funds for the Charity.
Email fundraising@daat.org to request your 25th Fundraising Pack today!
#DAA25 Devon Air Ambulance Trust Registered Charity No.1077998 Company No.3855746